Tuesday, April 11, 2017

DC Comics Website Supergirl Page

So the other day I was on the DC Comics main website, mostly to check on what books were coming out the following week. While perusing, I noticed they have 'character' pages available, sort of an electronic Who's Who to give a thumbnail history of a character.

I found it a little interesting that the one picture they have of her has her in the Michael Turner costume from 2004. That is two costumes ago, maybe three if you consider the changes that Jamal Igle made to it back in the day.

But I figured that the Turner picture is somewhat iconic for Kara Zor-El's return to the DCU so maybe I could understand.

Then I read the text ...

This sounds like it was written in 2004. Or maybe at the beginning of her New 52 run. All the edgy buzzwords are there. Attitude and rebellion. A lonely girl on a reluctant new home. Lacking her cousin's self-restraint. More dangerous than Superman. Disconnected.

Yeesh ...

That is what made Supergirl's return in the early Loeb era solo book and the early New 52 book so unlikeable. She hated Earth and was angry. There were covers of her crushing Earth in her hand. She didn't speak our language for years. She called Earth a sweaty mudball and was willing to help H'El in any way.

But those stories are years behind us.

And Rebirth happened. And she is truly on a new path.

I don't know if all the character pages are as outdated as this. But if you are looking to learn about Supergirl you might go to the DC Homepage. And you'd find this ...

Considering the amount of time that's passed, and the fact that Warners is currently delivering a completely different Supergirl via multiple incarnations in the comic, SuperheroGirls animation, and TV show, one would think DC would take a bit more care in aligning their web page promotional material with the products they're delivering. I see a lot of toys and other products in stores based on the Supergirl logo and images, If I were a parent and came across this while looking to find more information about Supergirl I might reconsider whether I wanted that for my child.

I think this is probably a case of simple neglect on DC's part, simply not remembering they've got that out there. One can only hope that DC starts paying closer attention to the details of how their shop is run at some point in the future.

I doubt whoever is in charge of making the character pages cares for keeping them accurate and up to date.

Unfortunately I've realized a lot people online thinks Loeb, Kelly, Lobdell's... angry, inmature jerk is her normal characterization. A lot of people is not even aware of the Gates and Bedard's runs. A lot of people thinks New 52 Supergirl is a shallow, terrible, despicable human being who never grew up or matured. Even in the "Supergirltv" site a lot of fans think "angry and inmature" is her default, mainstream personality (fortunately one of the members is an old-timer and posted many scans of his Action and Adventure issues. So at least they respect Pre-Crisis Supergirl).

I have the feeling that is one of the reasons because the current book is struggling. Many readers quit during the Kelly's run or early New 52 era, didn't look back or keep up with the character and assume she never changed or got better.

It doesn't help many websites know nothing about the character other than "dated her horse", "got killed by the Anti-Monitor" aaaaand maybe "she was a Red Lantern".

Anyway, you think the DC official page is outdated? You should have seen the DC Wikia (http://dc.wikia.com/wiki/DC_Comics_Database) several months ago. Most of Supergirl's pages had incomplete, false, wrong or unaccurate information:

- Pre-Crisis Kara's page was a mess. Post-Crisis Kara's page allocated huge paragraphs of text to describe the Loeb and Kelly's runs, and the History's section stopped during the "Good-looking Corpse arc". Post-Flashpoint Kara's page had a bad summary of the first three issues, only.- Supergirl's Storylines section had pages for "The Supergirl From Krypton", "Girl Power", "Candor", "Identity", "Way of the World", "Who Is Superwoman" and "The Last Daughter of Krypton". In other words: no "Many Happy Returns", no Gates' story arcs but one, no "Red Daughter", no "Crucible". I guess whoever wrote those pages left at some point and nobody replaced that person.- A lot of Supergirl regular and special issues were lacking a summary.- Several members of her Rogue's Gallery were missing or were classified as Superman or Legion's villains.

And so on.

Ironically, Supergirl has been a front page character since 2015.

And if you think this is bad, you should see the Superman and Superman Rebirth Wikias. Whoever created those articles copy/pasted an old summary of the DC Wikia and called it a day. In those Wikis' defense, Supergirl is prominently featured (next to Superman and Lois in the list of characters). And those Wikis have low activity anyway.

I thought it was due to Kara being a niche character until I read the talk pages and realized many conversations go like this: "Someone should fix this page", "Yes, someone should correct this and that", and then no one does anything. This phenomenon isn't unique to Supergirl. Superman's pages also are a mess because of the same reasons.

It bothered me a lot. Finally I thought "If you want a thing done well, do it yourself". I fixed the character pages and added "Personality" and "Relationships" sections, created pages for "Many Happy Returns" and most of story arcs of the fifth and sixth volume, wrote summaries for several issues, created pages for several TPBs, Showcases, Omnibuses... that hadn't been listed...

It's a lot of work -so I can understand why someone would be reluctant to get on with it-, but now one of my favorite heroes is better represented.

And another user created a Navigation Box for Supergirl no long ago, so maybe my work paid off! Yay!

Documentation n.From an arcane and obscure dialect that translates roughly as "For someone else to do."

But agree, on one part, it sounds more like neglect on the part of DC that that page hasn't been updated since 2004.On the other, it surprises and shocks me when I run into people or comments who can only remember Supergirl's bad times from the comics. Of late, the "TV Supergirl should get a Red Lantern Ring!" REALLY gets me... Seriously?! THAT'S the only thing people have taken from her character in the comics? As pointed out, what about the Gates / Igle time? Or her post-Red Lantern time in Crucible? Or even Waid's Brave & The Bold or her time in the Threeboot Legion?

Not sure how well Crucible would adapt to being done on the small screen, but I SERIOUSLY think Waid's Brave and the Boldwould be excellent material to adapt to TV Supergirl... and the moment Melissa B delivers that line about armwrestling that crushes Lobo's ego? Would be TV gold!

Still missing "Recommendations" and "Publication History" pages, though. I should get on to it, although maybe I have to ask permission first? I don't know.

And I still wonder if Earth-One Supergirl's marital status should be "Divorced". Technically she never divorced Salkor *shudders*. But honestly, who cares for that story and for him? Why should it count?

"Documentation n. From an arcane and obscure dialect that translates roughly as "For someone else to do."

HAH! True.

"On the other, it surprises and shocks me when I run into people or comments who can only remember Supergirl's bad times from the comics. Of late, the "TV Supergirl should get a Red Lantern Ring!" REALLY gets me... Seriously?! THAT'S the only thing people have taken from her character in the comics?"

I know, I know.

I keep seeing the damned "Zor-El wants Kara to kill her cousin" stuff! Damn it, people, that subplot was crap and was retconned. Let it die!

Or people showing scans of covers in where Supergirl is scared of a mouse or crying because she cannot get a date. Yes, obviously two stupid covers and a stupid panel describe twenty-six years of story of the character.

TV Supergirl getting a Red Ring is what I don't understand. It's like if people want to see that story arc adapted because it's the only one they know of.

The "Red Daughter of Krypton" story arc can NOT work in the show. It was a good story for two reasons: that particular Kara went through so much stuff that it made sort of sense she drew a Rage Ring; and that experience prodded Supergirl to mature. This is important, because it was the point and goal of the story.

Arrowverse Supergirl has family, friends a support net and embraces her adoptive world. Why would she draw a Red Ring?

"Or her post-Red Lantern time in Crucible? Or even Waid's Brave & The Bold or her time in the Threeboot Legion?"

Or what if Lucy Lane becomes Superwoman?

I miss Waid on Supergirl. Whatever else you think of him, he writes the Super-cousins great (I dislike his Spider-Man stuff, though)

Given the number of references to the Legion, I'll be shocked if her classic team doesn't show up sooner or later.

Wow! I didn't realize that Kara's page on the official site was so bad. And that's speaking as someone who enjoyed her run as an alienated teenager (accepting that it was a prelude to her growth and maturation as a hero.) It's weird they would be so negligent. I will say that the DC Wikia, while it has the occasional gem, is a total disaster. Not just Supergirl's pages that rife with inconsistency...and I spend way too much time plumbing the depths of that site.-Oblique

> And I still wonder if Earth-One Supergirl's marital status should be "Divorced". Technically she never divorced Salkor *shudders*.

Hey, Comics Everyone! :D

> The "Red Daughter of Krypton" story arc can NOT work in the show. It was a good story for two reasons: that particular Kara went > through so much stuff that it made sort of sense she drew a Rage Ring; and that experience prodded Supergirl to mature. This is > important, because it was the point and goal of the story.> Arrowverse Supergirl has family, friends a support net and embraces her adoptive world. Why would she draw a Red Ring?

+9000 on that Anon. And I'll give kudos again to Bedard for beliving instead of Supergirl wallowing in Red Ring Rage, he insteadchose to use it as a pivot (his words, IIRC) to bring her out of that mess. Thanks again for that, Mr Bedard!

I don't even want to guess at the VERY convoluted plotting to even work "Red Ring Seeks TV Supergirl" into a credible storyline. Heck, Season 1's story of Supergirl going rogue only worked because of the incident with "artificial red kryptonite" and Benoist's acting skills.

"I will say that the DC Wikia, while it has the occasional gem, is a total disaster. Not just Supergirl's pages that rife with inconsistency..."

Definitely.

At the very least it's better than the Superman Wiki or Supermanica... which isn't exactly an accomplishment. (for those not in the know, Supermanica is a Wiki devoted to the Superman universe from 1938 to 1985, created by old-timers who didn't care for the reboot. It needs a lot of work, though. Supergirl's page talks at length about her Midvale years but it barely touches her adult career. Link here: http://supermanica.superman.nu/index.php/Supermanica).

"But seriously, "Bad Supergirl" I think has been done enough for now."

Agreed. If they want an evil Supergirl, they can bring Satan Girl, Nightflame or Dark Kara in. But leave main Kara alone.

I guess some fans are obsessed with seeing an irrationally angry, moody, disconnected Supergirl because everyone have different ideas as to who the character is and should be. Some fans want to see a detached Kara.

Some while before the return of Kara Zor-El to mainstream continuity I read Dark Mark's Supergirl fics (http://members.tripod.com/Dark_Mark/darkmark1.htm). Now, it is obvious he loves Pre-Crisis Kara, but in several of his stories Supergirl feels she doesn't manage to adapt to Earth, she falls for a "bad boy", or she and Kal are drifting apart. Back in 2002, those subplots merely saddened me. But now? Now I cannot fully enjoy the story because of them. DC has seen to that. Moreover, Earth-One adult Supergirl feeling emotionally distant from her foster parents and cousin, and unable to fit in Earth? Really?

DC is locked into a long time "Two Steps Forward, One Step Back" mode when it comes to Supergirl. We should be lucky the whole page isn't a repro of COIE #7 with the legend "IN MEMORIAM, GONE AND FORGOTTEN 1959-1985". :)